Cover apparatus including a cover assembly and at least one drive mechanism

Abstract

A cover apparatus includes a frame, a cover assembly at least partially supported by the frame, and a drive mechanism. The cover assembly includes a generally planar main portion, and at least one edge portion adjoining a side edge of the main portion. The drive mechanism engages the edge portion and moves the cover assembly relative to the frame to advance or retract the cover assembly. The drive mechanism may include first engagement elements, and the edge portion may include second engagement elements that interengage with the first engagement elements. The cover apparatus may be used for covering a pool.

We claim:  
     
       1. A cover apparatus for covering a pool, comprising:
 a frame; 
 a cover assembly at least partially supported by the frame, the cover assembly comprising a generally planar main portion having at least one side edge, and at least one edge portion adjoining the at least one side edge of the main portion; and 
 a drive mechanism coupled to the frame, the drive mechanism configured to engage the at least one edge portion and move the cover assembly relative to the frame for advancing or retracting the cover assembly to cover or uncover the pool, respectively, 
 wherein the drive mechanism comprises first engagement elements, and the edge portion comprises second engagement elements that interengage with the first engagement elements, 
 wherein the first engagement elements comprise protrusions, and the second engagement elements comprise apertures that are sized and shaped to receive the protrusions, 
 wherein the edge portion comprises an integral strip attached along the at least one side edge of the main portion, and the strip comprises the apertures and an enlarged outer lip that is adjacent to the apertures and extends continuously along a longitudinal extent of the edge portion, and 
 wherein the drive mechanism further comprises at least one guide element, the at least one guide element for slidingly receiving the outer lip of the edge portion, so that the outer lip is guided by the drive mechanism when the cover assembly is advanced out of the drive mechanism. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a feed wheel, and rotation of the feed wheel causes the cover assembly to move relative to the frame. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusions are spaced apart about an outer circumference of the feed wheel, and the apertures are complementarily spaced apart along the longitudinal extent of the edge portion. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the protrusions are generally cylindrical in shape, and the apertures are generally circular in shape. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a spool that is rotatably supported by the frame, and the cover assembly is wound and unwound about the spool when retracted or advanced by the drive mechanism, respectively. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a first motor for rotating the feed wheel, the frame comprises a second motor for rotating the spool, the second motor being operable separately from the first motor. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising a control device connected to the first and second motors, and configured to generally synchronize movement of the feed wheel and the spool so that a rate in which the cover assembly is delivered to the drive mechanism is in proportion to how much of the cover assembly is wound about the spool. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the spool is controlled so as to maintain a generally consistent rate that the cover assembly is delivered to the drive mechanism. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising at least one sensor for monitoring a position of the cover assembly relative to the drive mechanism. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the drive mechanism is adjustably positionable relative to the spool. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the frame comprises a channel, and the drive mechanism comprises an arm that is slidingly received in the channel. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein, when the cover assembly is unwound about the spool and advanced by the drive mechanism, the cover assembly is conveyed downwardly at an angle between the spool and the at least one guide element. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein, when the cover assembly is unwound about the spool and advanced by the drive mechanism, the at least one guide element transmits the outer lip of the edge portion along a generally arcuate path so that the cover assembly is presented in a generally horizontal position to cover the pool. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide element of the drive mechanism guides the outer lip of the edge portion so that the cover assembly is presented in a generally horizontal position when advanced out of the drive mechanism. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one guide element of the drive mechanism restricts lateral movement of the outer lip of the edge portion. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one guide element of the drive mechanism comprises at least one of:
 at least one guide block arranged to slidingly receive the outer lip of the edge portion; and 
 a pair of generally opposing guide rails arranged to slidingly receive the outer lip of the edge portion. 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the frame comprises left and right frames spaced apart on generally opposing sides of the cover assembly. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises left and right drive mechanism spaced apart on generally opposing sides of the cover assembly. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outer lip has a generally circular cross section and a diameter dimension that is at least four times a thickness dimension of the strip. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outer lip has a generally circular cross section with a diameter dimension between 0.125″ to 0.5″, and a thickness dimension of the strip is between 0.03125″ to 0.125″. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the strip is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of high-density polyethylene, medium-density polyethylene and low-density polyethylene. 
     
     
       22. A cover apparatus for covering a pool, comprising:
 a frame; 
 a cover assembly at least partially supported by the frame, the cover assembly comprising a generally planar main portion having a side edge, and an edge portion adjoining the side edge of the main portion, the edge portion comprising an integral strip extending along a length of the edge portion, the strip comprising a plurality of apertures spaced apart along the length of the edge portion, and an enlarged outer lip having a generally circular cross section and extending continuously along the length of the edge portion adjacent to the plurality of apertures; and 
 a drive mechanism coupled to the frame, the drive mechanism comprising a feed wheel comprising a plurality of protrusions spaced apart about an outer circumference of the feed wheel, and at least one guide element adjacent to the feed wheel, 
 wherein the apertures receive the protrusions, so that the feed wheel engages the edge portion, and rotation of the feed wheel causes the cover assembly to move relative to the frame for advancing or retracting the cover assembly to cover or uncover the pool, respectively, and 
 wherein the at least one guide element slidingly receives the outer lip of the edge portion, so that lateral movement of the outer lip is restricted, and the outer lip is guided by the drive mechanism when the cover assembly is advanced out of the drive mechanism so that the cover assembly is presented in a generally horizontal position to cover the pool. 
 
     
     
       23. A cover apparatus for covering a pool, comprising:
 a frame; 
 a cover assembly at least partially supported by the frame, the cover assembly comprising a generally planar main portion having first and second side edges, and respective first and second edge portions adjoining the first and second side edges of the main portion, the first and second edge portions comprising first and second integral strips extending along a respective longitudinal extent thereof, each of the first and second strips comprising first engagement elements spaced apart along the respective longitudinal extent, and an enlarged outer lip extending continuously along the respective longitudinal extent adjacent to the respective first engagement elements, each of the first engagement elements being selected from one of protrusions and apertures that are sized and shaped to receive the protrusions; and 
 first and second drive mechanisms coupled to the frame, the first and second drive mechanisms configured to respectively engage the first and second edge portions and move the cover assembly relative to the frame for advancing or retracting the cover assembly to cover or uncover the pool, respectively, each of the first and second drive mechanisms comprising a feed wheel, and second engagement elements spaced apart about an outer circumference of the feed wheel, each of the second engagement elements being selected from the other of the protrusions and the apertures, the second engagement elements interengaging with the first engagement elements so that rotation of the feed wheel causes the cover assembly to move relative to the frame, each of the first and second drive mechanisms further comprising at least one guide element adjacent to the respective feed wheel for slidingly receiving the outer lip of the respective edge portion, so that lateral movement of the outer lips are restricted, and the outer lips are guided by the first and second drive mechanisms when the cover assembly is advanced out of the first and second drive mechanisms so that the cover assembly is presented in a generally horizontal position to cover the pool.